Stay and play: North Bay takes aim at sports tourism.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: NORTH BAY

North Bay is applying a full-court press toward chasing down opportunities in sports tourism.

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The city made major upgrades in its recreational facilities and is searching this fall for a consultant to devise a sports tourism strategy to pin-pont what events provide the best fit for North Bay.

In taking a more targetted approach, Ian Kilgour, the city's parks and recreation director, said it can be a waste of time and money for the city to pursue events it has no chance of ever hosting.

"If you go chase everything, you're not going to be too successful."

The Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance (CSTA) considers this market as the tourism industry's fastest growing segment in generating $3.6 billion across Canada annually.

It's not known how much economic activity sports tourism generates for North Bay by way of overnight stays and spinoffs to local business, but the city is starting to compile that data.

"We have developed a survey that's going out to all sporting groups so we can start to track that information," said recreation coordinator Melinda Fry.

"By this time next year, we'll know," added Kilgour.

Since 2011, Fry has been pitching North Bay to national event organizers at various industry "speed-dating" functions while scoping out what other communities are doing.

"Baby steps at first, but we've spent the last year going after events and sporting activities pretty aggressively"

From a venue perspective, North Bay has plenty going in its favour

Fifty-eight-year-old Memorial Gardens, the city's flagship arena, has undergone a $12-million interior renovation and exterior facelift to host an Ontario Hockey League franchise that recently transferred from Brampton.

But Fry would like to stuff the Gardens' schedule with more competitive men's and women's hockey tournaments, ringette, and curling bonspiels.

"The renovations have included some additions to the facility that will allow us to host conventions, meetings and concerts in the summer months," said Fry, with expanded seating capacity, private suites, and a licensed lounge overlooking the main arena space.

Two years ago, the city opened the Steve Omischl Sports Complex, an $11.7-million tournament magnet with three FIFA-certified soccer fields and three ball diamonds.

Kilgour gave credit to city councillors for approving these new and improved facilities...